Part 7/9:
Several noblewomen made sacrifices for love that stand in stark contrast to their societal expectations. Eleven women chose to accompany exiled revolutionary husbands to Siberia, an act of loyalty captured in Russian literature and memorialized in monuments.
The Landscape for Ambitious Women
While ambitious individuals like Princess Dashkova found opportunities under female rulers, the system remained restrictive. Female tyranny also finds its place in the narrative, illustrated through the horrendous actions of landowner Saltychikha. Ironically, the legal rights granted to women might have offered freedom in theory but were often unenforced in practice.